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Iām no longer spreading Twitter content. Today is a cleanup day in my bookmarks collection, acting as a repository for future editions of my monthly newsletter: Numeric Citizen Introspection. Each bookmark is stored in one of the six ābucketsā in Craft, as shown in this screenshot. What is noteworthy today is the fact that many of those bookmarks were links to tweets. They were all deleted. Quitting Twitter also means stopping spreading references to the platformās content.
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Is there something like Shortcuts on Windows? Iām asking because, with the release of Things 3.17, I made a few tweaks to my blogger workflow, thanks to the addition of many Shortcuts actions. This new Shortcut can run on the iPad, the iPhone and the Mac. Thatās so cool.
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Much More Than Tanks Will Be Needed
Iām super happy to see so many countries contributing to the war efforts. Kyiv has been asking for tanks for a long time. Finally, the last roadblock to a significant contribution has been lifted thanks to the German government, who seemingly found the light and made the right decision. Now for serious questionsā¦
Will those tanks, a few hundred of them, of all sizes, models and with various capabilities, really reverse the tide in favour of the Ukrainians? Iām afraid we will have to face reality sooner than later. Much more will be needed to put Russiaās army on its knees and force them to retreat or be defeated. Fighter jets are next. But again, I donāt see that as being enough. Remember when Iraq invaded Kuwait? We had to send people on the ground, not just boats, tanks or fighter jets.
I guess that, collectively, the west is not ready to accept this fatality. The time will come.
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Well well well, 15-25cm approaching. Winds should be under 60 KM/h. Some blowing snow is expected, more expected along the river. Very mild but snowy winter so far. I’m a weather enthusiast, as you can tell. The map is from Ventusky.
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9to5Mac reporting about a short Financial Times article on a silent war between Apple and Google:
Former Apple engineers say that Apple still holds a grudge over how Android allegedly copied iOS, and is steadily working to remove Google from the iPhone. Source: Apple is engaged in a ‘silent war’ against Google, claim engineers | AppleInsider
If there is something that I’d like to see Apple do: Apple (oops, Siri) Search for the web. No user tracking, no ads, full integration within Apple’s ecosystem. Imagine the possibilities.
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Adam Mosseri, Instagram boss, spoke about the controversy growing on its platform:
We definitely have a number of photographers who have been upset. I want to be clear: though we are leaning into video, we still value photos. Photos will always be a part of Instagram. Source: Instagram showed people too many videos last year, admits Adam Mosseri - The Verge
If you like photography, go elsewhere than Instagram. They focus on user engagement, not photography. There are so many great platforms these days that are built for photography enthusiasts.
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For those who don’t know me, I love photography. I’m an amateur photographer myself. Today, I want to share a link about an inspiring photographer named Adrian. If you like the B&W style, consider subscriber to his work (he’s on YouTube too).
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Iām super happy to see Ivory going out to light and all. I was on the beta, downloaded the official release and played with it a bit. Itās really a great client. For now, Iāll let things settle down and see how Tapbots delivers on its promise. Iām focusing on Micro.blog for now, but Iām curious about Mastodon ecosystem evolution. I donāt want a new Twitter in disguise. Micro.blog in its current form is a very good compromise.
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I’m seriously warming up to Readwise Reader. I get the feeling that I’ll be able to build a database of references and notes while I’m reading. The close proximity to Readwise is also a plus. It’s really geeky stuff for power readers, which I’m probably not. I’m waiting for the filtered view builder, they are working on a simplified and more visual version. Filtering the feed’s content by removing things like “Deal” or “Special Deal” would help remove some noise. I also keep an eye on the mobile app.
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Sometimes Iām reminded that I wish I had picked out āDigital Citizenā instead of āNumeric Citizenā as my ānom de plumeā. In English, Digital has a better significance than Numeric. Am I correct? š§
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My Taxi Ride to The Past
I recently took a taxi ride to leave the airport as Uber taxis were unavailable and plagued with longer than usual delays. We were directed to the traditional taxi lines. I couldnāt use an app on my iPhone to call a taxi instead.
Boy, it was a trip in the past. The taxi driver had no Google or Waze open to know where to go, only his memory and his knowledge of the city. The taxi timer was this old and ugly box installed on his car dash, partially blocking his view.
It was disorienting not to get any feedback about how long the trip would go, what was the best road alternatives along the way, and not having a driver reputation score.
You would think that Uber would kick the butt of taxi companies so they evolve the customer experience and get their shit together to build a competitive experience, but no. They seem to have given up a long time ago.
My message to taxi companies: enjoy the ride while it last.
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More details are emerging about the rumoured Apple’s headset… and this is troubling…
Using the headset will “feel familiar to Apple users,” with an interface that is close to identical to the look of an āiPhoneā or an āiPadā. There will be a Home screen with app icons that can be rearranged, as well as customizable widgets. Source: Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset to Feature iOS-Like Interface, Advanced Hand Tracking, and Will Work as Second Display for Mac - MacRumors
Oh boy… I would expect a brand-new metaphor for the brand-new form factor. Otherwise, by using a familiar interface, it’s as if Apple is locked into their own creation.
Likely to be named “Reality Pro,” the headset will be able to switch between augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality will overlay virtual objects on the real world, while virtual reality is an entirely virtual environment that shuts out the wearer’s surroundings. Augmented reality functions will work through a pass-through mode that will use the exterior cameras on the headset, and swapping between AR and VR will be done with a Digital Crown-like control knob.
“Reality Pro”!!!?? Someone must be kidding about that one, right? What an awful name! What about “viewPod”? Or something less “Macintosh Performa 620”-type of thing, please.
For those who wear glasses, Apple will provide custom lenses that are able to sit within the enclosure, and Apple is expecting users to wear AirPods to get an audio experience on par with the visual experience that the headset provides, though it will have built-in speakers.
I do.
As previously rumored, the headset will have an external battery pack to prevent it from overheating on a user’s face due to the high-end Mac chips used for the device. The battery is approximately the size of two iPhone 14 Pro Max models stacked on top of one another, and it will power the headset for around two hours. An external battery will allow users to swap one battery and charge another to use the device for a longer period of time.
No. Just no. It’s a proof of concept sold to consumers.
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For 2023, Apple is reportedly working on a larger 15-inch MacBook Air to join its Mac lineup. The new MacBook Air will feature the upcoming M3 chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The 15-inch MacBook Air is expected to feature the same design as the current 13.6-inch model but with a larger display and longer battery life thanks to the efficiency of the M3 chip and the inclusion of a larger battery. Source: What’s Next for the Mac: M3 iMac, 15-Inch MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and More - MacRumors
The possible 15-inch MacBook Air makes a lot of sense from a product line perspective (non pro machine with high portability but a larger screen). Where I disagree with Gurman is the possibility of the device getting an M3 chip. This is way too early. The rest of the product line is still on the just-released M2. When the Mac Pro finally makes the switch, then the M3 is a higher probability. In other words, I expect to see the 15-inch MacBook Air to get the same M2 chip as the current but smaller ones.
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OK, I’m mind blown. I went to see the latest Avatar movie today. I was blown away. It’s probably the most beautiful, entertaining, touching, impressive and well-balanced movie I have ever seen. I’m just in awe of the ingenuity and craftsmanship that went into this movie. Wow.
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So, the only way to set a profile image in IFTTT is to use one of the following services?? Not possible to upload a picture. My profile image is now blank because I deleted my connection to Twitter. Weird.
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On the web, I prefer Matter, but on the iPad, I think I prefer the Readwise Reader. In particular, I prefer the customizable home screen of the latter. But I prefer the reading experience of the former. Today that is what it is. Tomorrow? Who knows. š¤·š»āāļø
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Spent most of the day in front of a computer. Thankfully, I learned quite a bit about video production. I saved 400$ by not buying Final Cut Pro. I produced my first video of 2023.
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Iāve been watching a few beginner videos about Final Cut Pro just because Iām searching for ways to improve my video production workflow. The new problem now is this: how do I export recording segments out of Screenflow so I can import them in Final Cut Pro? There is currently no easy way to do this automatically. The process is manual but documented in a Telestream forum. Iām not so sure the use of Final Cur Pro would be a boon to my workflow. Back to square one, but I learned a few things about Final Cut Pro and Screenflow export options. Itās a good thing in the end, as I wonāt find a reason to upgrade to an M2 Pro Mac mini. š¤£
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Iāve been testing Continuity Camera mode with my iPhone 13 Pro as the video and audio sources for recording with Screenflow. I must say that I was very impressed and positively surprised.
First, the video quality is excellent, and I get Center Stage as a bonus. Screenflow sees this as a standard camera source. Second, using the Voice Isolation option, I no longer hear background noises in the house, which is cool because Iāll stop asking people to be less noisy neighbours. Now, If only I could integrate Adobe Enhance Voice into my workflowā¦ š
Solution found (link)!
I may have a Blue Yeti microphone for sale soon!
